Method and machine for forming anchor tabs and applying them to articles



May 6 1 924.

F. J. M DONALD ET AL METHOD AND MACHINE FOR FORMING ANCHOR TABS AND APPLYING THEM TO ARTICLES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 13 922 5 c f 2% Mm w 0 mm u x M 8 U mw a g F. J. M DONALD ET AL METHOD AND MACHINE FOR FORMING ANCHOR TABS AND APPLYING THEM TO ARTICLES Filed Feb. 13. 1922 3 Slga ets-Sheet 2 46a 1 j y] ffnuenim s (1% (Z7022 a Zd.

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' May 6 1924.

a F. J. M DONALD ET AL METHOD AND MACHINE FOR FORMING; ANCHOR TABS AND APPLYING THEM TO ARTICLES Fild Feb. 13

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FRANK J. MAODONALD AND VIRGIL H. BODLE, OF AN, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE B. F. GOODRICH COMPANY, 01'; NEW YORK, N. Y.,A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

METHOD AND MACHINE FOR FORMING ANCHOR TABS ARTICLES.

AEPLYING- THEM TO Application filed February 13, 1922. Serial No. 538,159.

To all :whom it may concern I Be it known that we, FRANK J. MAO- DONALD and VIRGIL H. BODLE, citizens of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Method and Machine for Forming Anchor Tabs and Applying Them to Articles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for forming straps or tabs arid associating them with articles, an example being the forming of anchor tabs from rubberized fabric, such as are used in the manuw facture of rubber footwear, andassembling them in interlinked relation with the tongued members or the keeper members of shoe-buckles.

Our present invention is an improvement upon the invention described in Mr. Mac- Donald?s Patent No. 1,451,167, Apr. 10, 1923, and our chief objects are to provide'an improved and simplified method for producing a tab and assembling the same with an article, and .a simplified and compact machine for work of this character. Other objects are to provide an improved form of rotary die, improved work holding members, improved fabricfeeding, folding and guiding means, and other improved elements in a machine of this character.

lhe specific apparatus described herein comprises vmeans for supporting a roll of tab-forming strip material, means for longitudinally folding said strip, means for feeding said strip from saidroll through said folding means, means for severing successive tab-lengths from the advanced end of the folded strip, means for holding shoe-buckle members in, position successively to be threaded by said tab-lengths as the .latter are advanced, and means for withdrawing the buckle member from the line of .feed of the strip in such manner as to fold the tab-length and press it adhesively upon itself in interlinked relation with the buckle member.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sideelevation of a machine embodying a preferred form of our invention, with the work in place.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentarylsection on line 2-2 of Fig. 6, showing a pair of segmental gears in one position. A

Fig. 3 is afragmentary section on line 22 of Fig. 6, showing the same gears in another position.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a keepermember of a shoe-buckle, with the finished anchor tab assembled therewith.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a tonguedmember of, a shoe-buckle, with the finished anchor tab assembled therewith.

Fig. 6 is a front-end elevation of the machine, with parts broken away.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the end of the machine nearest the operator, parts being broken away.

Fig. 8 is an end view of a fabric folder.

Fig. 9 is a rear View of the portion of the machine nearest the operator.

Fig. 10 is a side view of a rotary fabric cutter.

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of a part of the machine, showing the fabric guides, and a keeper-holding and tab-folding device.

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the keeper-holding member in keeper-receiving position.

Fig. 13 is a side elevation, showin a tongued-member-holding and tab-foldlng device in the folding action.

Fig. 14 is a similar side elevation, showing the tongued-member-holding member in receiving position, with a tongued member therein.

Fig. 15 is a plan view of the tonguedmember-holding member in receiving position, with a tongued-member therein.

Fabric feeding, olding and severing meo m'sm.

15 is another standardmounted upon the table 10, and provided with a guide roller 16 above said plate, said roller being parallel with thes ool 13, and so positioned as to guide the abric: strip 14 substantially into alignment with dparts of the machlne hereinafter describe Also mounted upon the table is a frame 17, in which are journaled several arallel, transverse shafts including a drive s aft 18, on which is secured a sprocket 19, and a pulley for a drive belt 21. A sprocket chain 22,is mounted upon the sprocket 19, a sprocket 23 secured to a shaft 24, and a sprocket 25 secured to a shaft 26. A fabricfeeding roller 27 is secured to the shaft 24, and a fabric-guiding roller 28, loosely journaled on a stub-shaft 29, is so positioned with respect to the fabric feeding roller 27 as to cause the fabric strip 14 to pass partly around the latter. Intermediate the guide roller 16 and the roller 28 is a pair of vertical ide posts, one of which is shown at 30 (F 1g. 1), adapted to hold the fabric strip in a vertical plane and accurately align it as it passes onto the roller 28, and two pairs of edge-guides for the fabric, as it leaves the roller 27 are provided, one of each pair being shown 2117331, 31 (Fig. l).

J ournaled in the frame 17 at a more advanced position of the work in an intermittently-driven shaft 32, on Which'is secured a fabric-feeding and supporting roller 33, and superimposed upon the latter is an intermittently-driven fabric-feeding and dieholding roller 34 secured to a shaft 35, said shaft being journaled in a air of vertically slidable blocks 36, 36 held down by set screws 37, 37, threaded through bridge plates 38, 38,to keep the rollers 33 and 34 together upon the work.

On the cylindrical working surface of the roller 34 is secured a wire 39 bent in the form of a V, with its ends 40, 40, so bent as to fit into holes in said roller, as is clearly shown in Fig. 10, to hold said wire in place.

The wire lies, throughout, incontact with the roll, with the point of the V forward,

. and is adapted toact as a cutting die against the roller 33, to sever the fabric strips 14 is the tab thus formed.

A tubular fabric folder 41 (Fi 1, 7 and 8), is secured to the end of a s aft 42 rotatably mounted in the frame 17, said folder being so formed and positioned as to fold the margins ofthe fabric strip 14 to the form of a flattened tube with its edges.

in abutted relation at its middle line, as it passes to the intermittent rollers .33, 34. A coil spring 43 (Fig: 7), surrounding the shaft 42, is adapted to hold the delivery end of the folder yieldingly against the upper intermittently-driven roller 34, to insure the proper flattening of the tubularly folded fabric strip. Said end of the folder. is beveled off at both the upper and lower sides, as shown at 44, 45, respectively, to permit it to be inserted as far as possible between the rollers 33, 34 and thus to preserve the form and alignment of the'folded strip substantially tothe point where it is gripped by said rollers.

aeeaeae For assuring that the edgesof the fabric will abut each other accurately at the middle of the strip, we provide in the entrance of 'relation with respect to the vertical, longitudinal middle plane of the folder. Said plate 46 is secured to the end of the shaft 42 by means of a screw 49 passing through an L-bent part, 46, of said plate, so that the latter may be adjusted for different widths of fabric by securing it in different rotative positions about said screw to raise or lower its working portion with respect to the folder 41.

At the delivery sideof the rollers 33, 34, is a block 50 adapted slidingly to support the folded fabric strip as the latter is fed forward by the rollers 33,34, and loosely. journaled in over-hanging brackets 50, 50

on the upper corner of sald block, at the delivery side thereof, is a small, conical roller 51, over which the severed tab lengths are drawn downward by a mechanism presently to be described. The working side of said roller is oblique to the line of feed of the fabric, as indicated at 51 (Fig. 7).

Upon the side face of the block 50 is secured a cam or abutment plate 50", adapted to coact with a cam-like member hereinafter described. Rising from the block'50 are a pair of axle-posts 52, 52, on each of which is slidably and rotatably mounted a guide roller 53 formed at the bottom with a down- Wardlv' tapered working face 54, the. pair of rollers thus being adapted to ride upon and hold down the folded fabric strip and act as side-guides for the tab 14 to direct it through the eye of a buckle-member such.

as the keeper, 55, but to be lifted, upon their posts, by the rear portion of the tab to permit free movement of the latter as itls drawn downward over the roller 51.

Buckle-holding and tab-folding mechanism. Journaled in low brackets 56, 57, at the delivery end of the machine is a shaft 58,

on which shaft is pivoted an upwardly extending arm 59, its forked lower end straddling the bracket 57 and its upper end terminating adjacent the block 50 in a bearing 60 positioned obliquely to correspond with the oblique position of the face 51 of the roller 51 (see Fig. 7). A coil spring 61 is secured to said arm 59 and to the frame of the machine to urge said arm to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1. Journaled in said bearing 60.is an intermittently-driven, hollow shaft 60 adapted interchangeably to receive, and drive the stem 62 or 63, of a tongued-member-holding block 64 (Figs. 13, 14 and 15) or a keeper-holding block'65, (Figs. 1, 11 and 12), said stem being secured against relative rotation in said shaft by a set screw 60" (Fig. 7).

The block 64, for holding a tonguedmember 66 of a shoe-buckle member in position adjacent the roller 51, to be threaded by the advancing fabric strip, and subsequently to withdraw the buckle member and severed tab length past said roller to fold the tab-length upon itself, is a cam-like rotary member formed with a straight side 67, an adjacent straight side 68 substantially. at right angles thereto, and a substantially arcuate side 69 completing the figure.v As the supporting and driving stem 62 extends laterally from a point near the junction of the arcuate side 69 with the straight side 67, the block is adapted, in being rotated in contact with the roller 51, the work thereon,vor the plate 50", to crowd the arm 59, upon which it is journaled, away from the block 50, against the action of the spring .61. and permit its return, in the manner of an eccentric cam.

In the straightside 67 of the block 64 is formed a recess 70 adapted to seat the tongucd-member 66 of a shoe-buckle with the eyelet thereof exposed at its periphery,

. in extension of the straight side 67 ,as shown clearly in Fig. 14. 71 is a buckle-clamping finger, pivoted in the block near the opposite end of the side 67, and formed with a cam-heel 72 adapted to contact the roller 51 topress the finger into recess 70 and against the buckle-member 66, to hold the latter firmly in. said recess as the block is turned to threading position. 73 is a compression spring seated in the block 64 and bearing against the finger 71 normally to hold said finger away from the buckle-member, to permit the insertion and ejection of the latter. The curved side of the block is formed on its outer periphery with an obli ue groove 64 adapted to receive the fol ed fabric strip or' tab, and is provided with a pair of studs 64, 64 adapted to engage the buckle-member to insure its being driven with said block after being unseated by the roller 51 in the manner illustrated inFi g. 13.

The keeper-holding block (Figs. 1, 11 and 12) is of similar construction to that of the tongued-member-holding block 64 except that its recess, 74, is formed to'r'eceive the keeper 55, and a pivoted finger 75, secured to a pivot pin 76 rotatably mounted in the block, is continuously urged toward clamping position by a coil spring 77 surrounding said pivot pin.. Said --finger is formed with an offset presser foot 78 at its free end, said foot being so beveled at 79,-

80 ('Fig. 11) as to permit it to be automatically raised, in the manner of a camlatch, by longitudinal movement of the keeper, as in the inserting of the latter, although adapted yieldingly to press the keeper againstthe bottom of therecess 74 to hold it therein while the block 65 is being i turned to threading position. The curved outer periphery of the block is formed with an oblique groove 65 to receive the folded tab, and is provided with studs 65, 65 to insure the positive movement of the keeper member therewith.

By reason of the pivotal stem 62 or 63 being positioned near the point on the periphery of theblock 64 or 65 at which the eye of the buckle member is exposed, said block is adapted to drive the buckle member almost directly downward from threading position, as shown in Fig. 13, and to perorm a folding action, as distinguished from a simple rolling operation, as the stem 62 (or 63) approaches the roller 51 under action of. the spring 61, and due to its eccentric character the curved side 69 of the block is adapted to give an increasing presour claims, however, to this positioning of the stem or to thepart-icular type of foldmg action resulting therefrom.

Intermittent driving mechanism.

' The mechanism for intermittently driving thefabric-feeding rollers 33, 34 and the buckle-member-holder 64 or 65 comprises the constantly driven sprocket. 25, heretofore referred to, upon the shaft 26, and a gear wheel 81 secured to said shaft and formed with two parallel, segmental sets of gear teeth 82, 83"meshing respectivelywith gear teeth 84 and 85 formed upon a gear wheel 86, the latter being secured to the shaft 58.

Said several sets of gear teeth are so posi tioned that at one revolution of the gear wheel 81 the gear teeth 82 thereon engage the gear teeth 84 on the wheel 86, turning the shaft 58 through substantially more than half a. revolution, while the teeth 83 pass the blank space diametrically opposite the teeth 85, and during the next revolution of the wheel 81 said teeth 83 engage the teeth 85. completing one'revolution of the shaft v sure upon the tab. We do not wholly limit through half a revolution at each revolution of the shaft 26. 89, 90 are intermeshed gears secured to the shafts 35 and 32 respectively, to drive the fabric-feeding roller 34 with its. fellow 33. For driving the buckle-member-holder 64 or 65 from the shaft 58, a sprocket 91 is secured to saidshaft and connected by a sprocket chain 92 with a. sprocket 93secured 'to the hollow shaft 60. 94 is a guide roller for the chain 92, journaled on a bracket 94 extending laterally fromthe arm 59, said 1 ing over-running of the shaft 58 and .con-

sequent jamming of the gears, an eccentriccam member 97, formed with notches 98, 99 appropriately positioned in its periphery, is secured to said shaft in position to receive in said notches alternately a dog 100 formed on the end of one arm 101 of a two armed, V-shaped lever orpawl member 101 pivoted on the frame at 102 and yieldingly held with the dog 100 against said cam-member 97 by a spring 103. The other arm, 101*, of said pawl member 101 is adapted to be engaged,

at one revolution of the wheel 81, by a stud 104 (Fig. 9) on said wheel, to lift the dog 100 out of the notch 99, and atthe next rev-- olution by a stud 105 nearer the periphery of said wheel to lift it out'of the notch 98. The periphery of the cam member 97 is so formed with a hill 97 that by sliding contact with the dog 100 said hill 97 holds the 155 arm 101, at one revolution of the wheel 81,

clear of the stud 105, and at the next revolution the notch 98, being farther from the axis than the notch 99, holds said arm clear of the stud 104 but in position to be struck an by the stud 105 to lift' the dog 100 out of said notch 98.

The mechanism just described is thus adapted, in two revolutions of the shaft 26 (see Fig. 1), to give to the fabric-feeding and severing rollers 33, 34 two successive feeding movements of equal length, constituting one complete revolution, and to the buckle holder two successive clockwise movements of unequal length, constituting one complete revolution, while the yieldingly. held arm 59 keeps said buckle-holding member in contact with the roller 51, the work thereon, or the plate 50.

Operation.

In the operation of the machine, the buckle-holding member 64, or 65, stops successively in the position shown in Fig. 11 or -14, with a flat side against the plate 50, while the operator inserts a buckle member therein, and is then quickly turned, by the mechanism described, to threading position,

' as shown in Figs. 1 and 7, with the eye of the buckle exposed in the line of feed of the fabric strip 14. When the buckle memeeaoae ber arrives in threading position, the forward end of the folded fabric strip is approximately at the position of the roller 51, and while. the buckle member is so held the rollers 33, 34, by a. semi-revolution, feed Said end through the eye of the buckle member, and the die 39 severs a tab length 14 from the fabric strip, leaving it threaded through said eye. The folded fabric strip being substantially compressed between the rollers 33, 34 adjacent the die, said rollers maintain their grip upon the fabric notwithstanding its severance by the die, and

advance it slightly past the severing pointat the end of their cutting movement. Their succeeding movement, without cutting, advances it to about the position of the roller 51, as above mentioned. The feeding action of the rollers 33, 34 is assisted by the roller 27, which feeds the fabric strip when the latter is tightened thereon by the pull of the rollers 33, 34, but slips within the fabric strip when said ull ceases.

Immediately fiillowing the threading and severin buckle-holding member turns from the threading posltion of Fig. l or 7 to the receiving position of Fig. 11 or 14, thereby folding the severed tab 14 and adhesively pressing it upon itself by drawing it be- .r

tween the buckle-holding member and the roller 51. During this movement the guide rollers 53 may be lifted upon their posts 52, by the stiffness of the tab length, thus permitting free movement of the latter. The pressure of said roller 51 against the exposed eye-portion of the buckle member automatimovement of the fabric strip, the

cally pries the buckle member from its recess, so that it is ejected from the holder, dropping into a chute (not shown) or into such receptacle as may be provided, when the rear end of the tab passes the roller 51. The oblique position of the buckle-holding member and of the tab-pressing side of the roller 51, causes the twohalves of the tab length to be folded in non-parallel relation, giving the tab a fan-like shape, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. This action is also assisted by the oblique groove in the curved side of thebuckle holding member which receives the forward part of the tab length and accurately positions it as the tab length is given its oblique fold. The operator is required only to insert the buckle members successively in the holder as the latter stops at the receiving position.

' Modifications may be resorted to without departing from the scope of our invention, and .we do'not, wholly limit our claims .to the specific construction shown.

We claim: 1. The method of assembling a tab with an article which comprises feeding a tabrecaeee at art of said article on an oblique line of f d, and sticking the end portions of said tab together in oblique relation to each rate member, and obliquely folding and of a perforate member, and f0 prdgressively pressing said strip upon itself in interlinked relation with said member, whereby the superposed portions of said strip are stuck together.

3. The method of assembling a tab with an article which comprises feeding a tabforming strip of adhesive material into oblique relation witlrsaid article, folding said strip upon itself about a part of said article, and sticking together the parts of said strip thus superposed.

4. The herein described method which comprises feeding a tab-forming strip of adhesive material obliquely through the eye sticking said strip upon itself in interlinked relation withsaid member.

5. The method of forming a tab and assembling the same with an article which comprises feeding a tab-forming strip of adhesive material past said article, se'verin a tab-forming length from the end of sai strip, folding said length upon itself about a part of said article on an oblique line of fold, and sticking together the parts of said length thus superposed. o

6. The herein described method which comprises feeding a tab-forming strip of adhesive material through the eye of a perforate member, severing a tabforming length from the end of said strip, obliquely folding said length upon itself in interlinked rela tion with said member, and sticking together the partsof said length thus superposed.

7. The method of forming a tab and assembling the same with anarticle which comprises feeding a tab-forming strip of adhesive material into oblique relation with said article, severing a tab-forming length from the end of said strip, folding said length upon itself about a part ofsaid article, and sticking together the parts of said length thus superposed.

8. The herein described method which comprises feeding a tab-forming strip of adhesive material obliquely through the eye ding and forming length from the end-of said stri and obliquely folding and progressive y pressing said severed length upon itself about a part of said article.

10. The herein described method which comprises longitudinally folding and progressivelypressing. a tab-forming strip of adhesively coated material, feeding said folded strip obliquely through the eye of a perforate member, severing said strip at a distance from said member to leave a tabforming length in threaded relation with said member, and obliquely folding and progressively pressing said tab-forming length upon itself in interlinked relation with said member. I

11. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for longitudinally feeding a strip of tab-forming material and means for holding successive articles in a position oblique to the line of feed of said strip to receive the forward end of said strip.

12. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for feeding a strip of tabforming material, means for holding successive articles in position to receive said strip in oblique relation thereto, and means for severing said strip at a predetermined distance from said articles successively.

13. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for feeding a strip of tabforming material, means for holding an article in position to receive said str1p in oblique relation thereto, means for severing a length from said strip at a predetermined distance from said article, and means for foldingsaid length about a part of. said article and pressing its end portions together in non-parallel relation to each other.

14. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for holding a perforate article in a predetermined position, means for insertinga tab-forming piece of adhesively coated material through the eye of said article, and means for obliquely folding said piece of material upon itself in interlinked relation with said article' 15. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for holding an article in position to receive a tab-forming piece of adhesively coated material, means for presentin said piece of material to said article, an means for obliquely folding said material upon itself about a part of said article and sticking its end portions together in fanlike relation to each other.

16. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for successively carrying perforate articles to and holding them in a predetermined position, and means for obliquely threading a tab-forming piece of material through the eye of each of said articles successively.

17. Apparatusof the class described comprising means for feeding a strip of sheet severing said strip at a distance from said presenting the end ter is advanced, meansfor withdrawin part of the article the articles successively.

19. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for feeding a strip of sheet material, means for progressively folding the side margins of said strip, means for holding successive articles in position to receive said strip as it is advanced, means for severing said strip at a distance from said articles successively, to leave a length of said strip associated therewith, and means for portions of said length, in non-parallel relation as seen in face view,

- to each other.

20. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for feeding a strip of adhesively coated material, means for progressively folding the side margins of said strip, means for pro-ressively pressing said folded strip, means for-holding an article in position to receive said strip as it is advanced, and means for folding backward around a portion of said strip eyond said article and sticking it in nonparallel relation to the adjacent part of said strip.

21. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for feeding a strip of tabforming material, means for carrying successive articles to and holding them in position to receive said strip as it is advanced, means for severing said strip at a distance from said articles successively to leave a len h of said stri associated therewith, an means for fol ing the severed length about said articles on oblique lines of fold.

Apparatus of the class described comprising means for feeding a strip ofv sheet material, a supportin member for said strip termmatin 1n the irection of feed, in a surface ob ique to the line of feed, means for holding .a perforate member with its eye-portion exposed in the line of feed and in parallel relation with said oblique surface, to be threaded by said strip as the latsaid perforate member from the line of fee and means coacting with said oblique surface to fold said strip upon itself in interlinked relation with said perforate membe'ras the latter is so withdrawn.

23. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of means for feeding a strip'of material, a terminal supporting roller for said strip having its terminal side oblique to the line of feed, and means coacting with said roller to fold a length of said material obliquely upon itself as the latter is withdrawn tranversely from the line of feed by engagement with a portion thereof intermediate said roller and said means. 7 24. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of means for feeding a strip of material, a terminal supporting roller of tapered form for said strip, and means coacting with said roller to fold a length of said material obliquely upon itself as the latter is withdrawn transversely from the line of feed by engagement with a portion thereof intermediate said roller and said means.

25. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of means for feeding a strip of material, a terminal supporting roller for said strip, a-rotary member adapted to hold an article in position to receive said strip as it is advanced by said feeding means and subse uently to coact with said roller to fold sa1d=str1p upon itself in interlinked relation with said article,

yielding means for impelling said rotary member toward said roller, and a buffer member adjacent said roller adapted to sustain the force of said yielding means.

26. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a rotary member formed with a recess adapted to seat a perforate: member with the eye thereof,

exposed, a work-retaining finger pivoted on said rotary member, a spring normally holding said finger away from the perforate member, a support for said rotary member, a resser' member adapted to coact with said rotary member, yielding means for urging said rotary member an said presser member together, and means associated with said presser member for holding said finger against said erforate member against the action of sai spring.

27. In apparatus of the character described, a'mcmber formed with a recessadapted to seat a perforate member with the eye thereof exposed at its periphery and with a tab-receiving groove on" said outer periphery adjacent said recess.

28. In apparatus of the character, described, a rotary member formed with arecess adapted to seat a perforate member with the eye thereof exposed at its outer periphery and with an obliquely p0S1l',10I1ed groove on its outer periphery ad acent sald recess. I

29. In apparatus for assembling a tab with an article,the combination of an abutment member, a rotary article-holding member, and yielding means for urging said members together, said rotary member being formed with a flat side adapted to contact with said abutment member to hold emes said work-holding member in work-receiving position, with a flat side adapted to contact with said abutment member to hold said work-holding member in tab-receiving position, and with a curved side adapted to fold said tab upon itself in interlinked relation with said article.

30. In apparatus for assembling a tab with an article, the combination of an abutment. member, a rotary article-holding member, and yielding means for urging said members together, said rotary member being formed with a flat side adapted to contact with said abutment member to hold said work-holding member in work-receiving position, with a flat side adapted to contact with said abutment member to hold said work-holding member in tab-receiving position, and with a curved side adapted to fold said tab upon itself in interlinked relation with said article, said rotary member being pivoted at a point closely adjacent the unction of the last said fiat side with said curved side; a

31. In apparatus for assembling a tab with an article, the combination of a rotary memberformed with a recess adapted to seat an article with a part thereof exosed at its-outer periphery, means coactmg with said rotary. member to unseat said article and to press a tab-forming strip of material upon itself in looped relation with said article, and a stud on the outer periphery of said rotary member adapted to engage said article and compel it to move with said stud after being unseated.

32. Apparatus of the character described comprislng means for feeding a strip of sheet material, a "supporting member for said strip terminating, in the direction of feed, in a surface oblique to the line of feed, a rotary member formed with a recess adapted to seat a perforate member with the eye thereof exposed at the outer periphery of said rotary member, said rotary member being adapted to hold said perforate member in position to be threaded by said strip and adapted to coact" with said supporting member to fold and press said strip upon itself in interlinked relation with said perforate member.

33. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of means for feed? ing a strip of sheet material, a rotary member adapted to hold a perforate .member with its eye in position to be obliquely threaded by said strip as the latter is advanced by said feeding means, and a member coacting with said rotary member to fold and press said strip upon itself in interlinked relation with said perforate member.

'34, In apparatus of the character described, the combination of means for feeding a strip of sheet material, a rotary mem-' ber journaled on an axis oblique to the line of feed of said strip and adapted to hold member to fold said strip upon itself in interlinked relation with said perforate member. 7

35. In apparatus of the character described the combination of means for feeding a strip of sheet material, a supporting member for said strip terminating, in the direction of feed, in a surface obliqueto the line of feed, a shaft, an arm pivoted coaxially with said shaft, a rotary member journaled on said arm on an axis oblique to the line of feed and adapted to hold a perforate member with the eye thereof exposed at its periphery, means for driving said rotary member from said shaft, and means for yieldingly impelling said arm toward said supporting member.

.36. In apparatus of the character described the combination of means for feeding a strip of sheet material, a terminal supporting member, in a fixed position, over which said strip may be fed by said feeding means, a" cam-like rotary member adapted to coact with said supporting member and to holdadjacent the latter a perforate member with the eye thereof exposed in position to be threaded by the advancing strip, means for yieldingly urging said rotary member toward said supporting member, and means for driving said rotary member while the latter moves against or in response to the action of said yielding means.

3-7. In apparatus of the character described the combination of means including a mutilated gear for intermittently feeding a strip of sheet material, a rotary member adapted .to hold a perforate member with the eye thereof exposed in position tobe said rotary member, and driving means common to said mutilated gears.

38. In apparatus for assembling a tab with an article, the combination of means for feeding a strip of tab-forming material, a rotary work-holding member adapted in one rotative position to receive said article and in another rotative position to hold said'article in position to receive said strip, driving means including a mutilated gear for turning said rotary member to said positions alternately, a pawl and ratchet adapted to prevent recession of said rotary member, a pawl adapted to prevent overrunning of said rotary member, and means adapted to be periodically actuated by said driving means for lifting the last saidpawl. V

ria

holding member, means for feeding a strip into association with an article held by said member, a drive shaft for said member, a member secured to said shaft and formed with dissimilarly positioned ratchet notches, a wheel adapted intermittently to drive said shaft and provided with dissimilarly positioned contact surfaces corre sponding to said ratchet notches, and a pawl adapted to be engaged in said ratchet notches and to be lifted therefrom respecwith contact surfaces at different distances from its center, and a pawl adapted to be engaged in said notches successively and to be lifted therefrom by respective contact surfaces on said wheel.

41. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a rotary work-holding member, means for feeding a strip into association with an article held by said member, a drive shaft for said member, means including a mutilated gear for 'in' termittently driving said shaft, a lifting pawl adapted to prevent over-running of said shaft, and means for periodically lifting said pawl.

42. In apparatus for forming tabs, and

applying the same to articles, the combina- 1 tion of means for holding an article in posit1on to receive a strip as the latter is fed longltudinally thereto, and strip feeding and severing means comprising a pair of rollers and a severing die mounted upon the face of one of said rollers.

43. In apparatus for forming tabs and applying the same to articles, the combination of means for holding an article. in position to receive a strip as the latter is fed longitudinally thereto, and a pair of feed rollers, at least one of the same being driven, and a severing die mounted upon one of said rollers.

44. In apparatus for forming tabs and applyingthe same to articles, the combina tion of means for holding an article in position to receive a strip as the latter is fed longitudinally thereto, and 'strip feeding and severing means comprising a pair of rollers and a V-shaped severing die mounted upon the face of one of said rollers.

45. In apparatus for forming tabs and applying the same to articles, the combinatlon of means for holding an article in position to receive a strip as the latter is fed naeaeae longitudinally thereto, and strip feeding and severing means comprising a pair of rollers, and a round wire lying upon the face of one of said rollers in position to sever the strip against the opposite roller.

46. In apparatus for forming tabs and applying the same to articles, the combination of meansfor holding an article in position to receive a strip as the latter is fed longitudinally thereto, and strip feeding and severing means comprising a pair of rollers, one of the same being formed with recesses in its working surface, and a wire lying on said surface and having its end portions retentively inserted in said recesses.

47. In apparatus for-forming tabs and applying the same to articles, the combination of means for holding an article in position to receive a strip as the latter is fed longitudinally thereto, and strip feeding and severing means comprising a pair of rollers, one of the same being formed with recesses in its working surface, a wire bent to the general form of a V, lying flatly on said surface, and having bent end portions retentively inserted in said recesses.

48. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of means for holding an article in position to receive a strip as the latter is fed longitudinally thereto, a pair of presser rollers adapted so to feed said strip, and, for operating upon said strip as it passes to said rollers, a fabric folder comprising a folding trough and a member mounted therein and formed with open-ended slots ada ted to receive and guide the respective e ges of the fabric.

49. In apparatus of the character de-' scribed, the combination of means for holding an article in position to receive a strip as theIat-ter is fed longitudinally thereto, a pair of presser rollers adapted so to feed said strip, and, for operating upon said strip as it passes to said rollers, a fabric folder comprising a folding trough and a member mounted therein and formed with a pair of open-ended, arcuate, concentric slots adapted to receive the respective edges of the fabric and ide them into positions such that they will come into abutted relation with each other by further advance in said trough. 50. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of means for holding an article in position to receive a strip as the latter is fed longitudinally thereto, a pair of presser rollers adapted so to feed said strip, and, for operating upon said strip as it passes to said rollers, a fabric folder comprising a folding trough and, at a position therein where the fabric has been partly folded, means for so guiding the edges of said fabric as to center the latter with respect to the middle plane of said trough.

aaeaeee 51. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of means for holding an article in position to receive a strip as the latter is fed longitudinally thereto, a pair of presser rollers adapted so to feed said strip, and, for operating upon said strip as it passes to said rollers, a fabric folder comprising a folding trough and a member ad ustably supported therein, said member being formed with a pair of open-ended slots adapted to receive and guide the respective edges of the fabric.

52. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of means for hold-. ing an article in position to receive a strip as the latter is fed longitudinally thereto, a pair of presser rollers adapted so to feed said strip, and, for operating upon said strip as it passes to said rollers, a fabric folder comprising a folding trough, and a slotted guide plate adapted to coact with said trough, by receiving in its slots the edges of the fabric, to fold the fabric substantially to tubular form, said plate being pivoted for adjustment from and toward the bottom of said trough to adapt the folder for fabric of different Widths.

53. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of means for holding an article in position to receive a strip as the latter is fed longitudinall thereto, a pair of fabric pressing rollers a apted so to feed said strip, a folding trough adjacent thereto pivoted on an axis parallel with said rollers, and means for yieldingly urging said trough about its pivot to hold the fabric at the delivery end of said trough in contact with one of said rollers.

54. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of means for holding an article in position to receive a strip as the latter is fed longitudinally thereto, a pair of fabric pressing rollers adapted so to feed said strip, and a folding sleeve having its delivery end beveled on opposite sides and so positioned that the lips formed by the bevels extend between said rollers substantially to the point Where the fabric is compressed by said rollers.

55. In apparatus of the character described the combination of means for holding an article in position to receive a strip as the latter is fed longitudinally thereto, a pair of fabric press ng rollers adapted so to feed said strip, means for progressively folding a strip of fabric to tubular form with its side edges abutted, and means for so directing said tubular fabric to said pressing roilers that said abutted edges, at a given section of the fabric strip, are the first part thereof to contact one of said rollers.

56. In apparatus for forming tabs and applying the same to articles, the combination of means for holding an article in position to receive a strip of fabric as the latter is fed longitudinally thereto, means for rotatably supporting a roll of fabric, a constantly-driven fabric-feeding roller adapted to feed fabric from said fabric-supporting roll to said article-holding means, guiding means so positioned as to cause the fabric to pass partly around said driven roller, and a pair of intermittently-driven fabric-feeding rollers at a more advanced position of the Work, said constantly driven roller bein adapted to feed the fabric only when sai fabric is tightened thereon by the pull of said intern'iittently driven rollers.

57. In apparatus for forming tabs and applying the same to articles, the combination of means for holding an article in position to receive a strip of fabric as the latter is fed longitudinally thereto, a pair of fabric feeding rollers adapted so to feed said strip, a fabric-severing die mounted on one of said rollers, and means responsive to the pull of said rollers on the Work for feeding the work to said rollers.

58. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of means for holding an article in position to receive a strip of material as the latter is fed longitudinally thereto, means for so feeding said stri and strip-guiding means comprising an ax e post and a guide roller slidably journaled on said post, said roller being formed at one end with a tapered work-engaging surface.

59. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of means for holding an article in position to receive a strip of material, and a pair of guide rollers for said material, said guide rollers being formed with tapered surfaces, and means for holding said rollers in position to act as side guides for said stripwhile permitting them to move in the direction of their axes under pressure of said strip.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 10th day of February, 1922.

' FRANK J. MACDONALD.

VIRGIL n. BODLE. 

